How safe are cash machines from hackers?
Tiny hidden cameras, rigged cell phones wired into cash points… These are just some of the sophisticated devices used up by scammers to steal an unsuspecting victim’s bank account details. As credit card users become increasingly aware of these hard-to-spot frauds, some are using the Internet to alert others of the hidden dangers when at the cash point. Cyber-security blog Krebson Security, recently published an article on the home-made, yet sophisticated, electronic systems used by swindlers to steal people’s bank details at an ATM. One of the methods, discovered in California in December, is especially difficult to spot. A fake card slot records the number of every credit card inserted into the machine, while a hidden camera films the keyboard as the victim types in his or her pin number – thus handing fraudsters all the information necessary to make a fake credit card and steal money out of their victim’s account. Some systems are even more sophisticated, with rigged cell-phones a
